After a beautiful, unexpectedly extended weekend, I finally feel a connection to this Christmas season. Every year, around Thanksgiving I participate in one of those email surveys about whether you prefer gift bags to wrapping paper, what your favorite Christmas special is, and what you find most annoying about the season. For me the answer is always, WORK. I never feel truly prepared when I have to try to squeeze in all of my Christmas preparations with my regular weekend chores and errands. And it becomes difficult not to see Christmas preparations as just that, another chore or errand. Lost are the days of childhood anticipation and excitement, which I can still vividly recall.

As I blogged about back in the winter of 2007, God gives us what we need, because he knows what we need. We just need to be open to seeing these things as gifts from God. On Thursday I was to have an annual Dr. visit and had planned to do some errands following the appointment. At the very last minute the office called to cancel, due to the dr.'s illness. After briefly being let down and annoyed at the thought of a wasted sick day, I took a deep breath and saw it as a gift. I could now just focus on Christmas and the things I wanted to get done. Then on Friday, the gift of our first SNOW DAY. A day to put my children on the bus, run to the store for baking supplies before the storm hit, and begin some cookies before my children were safely delivered back home to me via the best bus driver on earth. I honestly felt euphoric, as I had cookies baking, Christmas music playing and a yummy lunch planned for my kids.

Later that night on Dateline, I caught the Reverend Rick Warren promoting his new book, The Purpose of Christmas. I listened and made a mental note to whip it in the cart the next time I was at WalMart.

A snowy Saturday followed and I spent a good part of the day in my bathrobe watching a marathon of What Not to Wear. I managed to have an outing later that evening with my son to get some groceries at Wonder Walmart where I saw Rick's books and as promised, whipped it in the cart, under the justification that it was a Christmas gift for our 85+ year old family friend whom I never know what to get. I figured I'd better just look through it at home to be sure it would be "her". Tonight I sat and read the book from cover to cover and decided that yeah, she'd like it.

I have never really lost touch with the true meaning of Christmas, and often get mad at myself when I get lost in the commercialness of it all, or get my children too much. But I do know why we celebrate it and am very much in touch with Jesus at this time of year, especially. Recently, in church, we had a guest priest. His homily was very comical as he talked about what we can do to be more in touch this season. He gave some tips. I won't bother to go into full detail, but he closed with having us watch for a Christmas sign. Some little tiny aha moment that connects you with what is real. A sign from Jesus if you will. He shared his sign as he'd already had his moment. He suggested that while we wait in long lines at stores, that we let someone get ahead of us who has MORE in their cart...as a gesture of kindness. A few days later as he was running from St. Mary's in Oswego to say mass in Hannibal, he stopped at the IGA for a coffee and the cashier was very slow..and he was afraid of being late. Suddenly, as he stood waiting to pay for his coffee, a woman came up behind him with a full cart of groceries. He laughed out loud knowing that he was supposed to follow his own advice and offer to let her in front of him. It was really a funny story and I held on to that waiting for my moment.

Last week at my house was VERY stressful and I was wondering how I was going to make it through. I knew that I needed to just focus on my kids and make it a happy week for them despite the pressures that were surrounding us. I gave up my annual Christmas BOOK CLUB celebration to be the mom I needed to be for my kids...and to try to keep some normalcy at home. While doing some errands in Oswego while Jillian was at dance, and trying to focus on the little things, like my Dunkin' Donuts coffee...I saw it. My little Christmas sign. A fully suited SANTA CLAUS driving a Centro bus. That was it. I started crying right there in the P&C parking lot. God was telling me to keep it all in perspective...that I am doing the right thing...and that it is going to be a Merry Christmas for my kids, therefore for myself too.

So the purpose of Christmas is love basically...and I really want to just focus on that for these next few days. Merry Christmas everyone!

12/19/08 - A snowday in December!  WooHoo!  Certainly goes under the file of "These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things!"  Sue and I both spent much of the day singing the Spongebob classic..."It's the best day EEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR!"  I even spent the day, and I mean ALL of it, in my jammies and robe!  Thank You Thank You Thank You!

A shout out to Nancy and Kathy...my other girlfriends for life!  ( does this make you feel better, Kath?  I love you, like I love Sue, like I love you!  GET IT?  HeeHee!

Thanksgiving 2008

So another long awaited holiday comes and goes. I was looking forward to this one because it was the first Thanksgiving that I was not hosting at MY house in at least 7 years. Mom was dying to do it in her new house, thus giving me a very relaxed outlook on this family gathering. I should have known better.

We knew months ago that 1/3 of us siblings would not be in attendance. They planned their second annual family vacation to Georgia to be with friends. So that left the remaining 2/3 of us, plus our spouses and children. I had spent the week joking with the available one, that he would probably have to "call in sick" or that the weather would be too bad for them to make the 2 hour trip north. I secretly hoped that by joking and setting it up, it would not happen. I should have bought a lottery ticket I guess. By 9am the email came, that the wife and toddler were ill. Then, we get the call that Dave's parents were also sick and would not be going. I knew it was going to be rough.

So, knowing a new outfit always can get you through, I pulled out a new Christmas outfit for Jillian. We had planned to bring the dog along so that was Ethan's "accessory". As long as everyone was all gussied up, I decided I'd try to get some pictures for the annual Christmas card. I had to start by reminding Ethan that I have not dressed him up and dragged him to a photographer since he was Jillian's age...and that the matching outfit I pulled out of his closet he only had to put on long enough for me to take pictures in. He was NOT happy. As the picture is worth 1,000 words, LOOK at his face! But then, the dog came into the scene and it all changed. REAL smiles...REAL laughter...REAL fun. For the kids that is, not the DOG.

As it came time to go, we did decide to give the dog a break and leave her home. She'd been up and running and playing all morning, and the photo shoot really did her in. By 1pm she was ready for her crate and a NAP. Ethan agreed that we did not need to bring her. I was secretly hoping for a BREAK from the dog, so I was thrilled to crate her and run.

As for the actual Thanksgiving gathering....can we just say YAWN, yawn? My kids were BORED to death....and I just kept wishing it had been at my own house. Mom was frustrated and disappointed and said I could do it next year. Fine, but I told her that it will be planned around when everyone is AVAILABLE, not only 2/3 of us. I had been the one pushing for the Sunday BEFORE to celebrate....but mom insisted it be on THE DAY. Not that people couldn't have been sick that day too... but at least we'd have been starting with better odds!

The day did finish with me making my photo cards and uploading them to Walmart to pick up at my leisure tomorrow. That has always been MY relaxation...doing my cards over Thanksgiving break. They did turn out darn cute...and I can't wait to see them!

May I just state that I am having some OCD as of late?  Obsessive Cullen Disorder.  OK, I stole that off a fansite, but the fact that I have been ON said fansite is the confirmation.  I just finished the second of the Twilight series, New Moon, and I truly had to restrain myself from running to the bookstore TODAY to buy Eclipse.  I am a 37 year old wife, mother and teacher and I am obsessing over teenage vampires!  Issues!  I had to take the dog out the other night, and started thinking "what if Edward walked out of the hedgerow right now?"  Same could be said for driving along the country roads today to the grocery store.  I was perusing the cut cornfields, half expecting to catch a glimpse of a pack of werewolves.  It is so funny, almost reminiscent of when I came home from Alaska and was constantly on the outlook for moose in recessed secluded areas along the road.  At least that was based in REALITY!  I am completely sucked into the fantasy world of Forks and LaPush and I don't want to come back!

-Cheryl

"The Pink Elephant in the Room"

Bought another Vera Bradley...this time a bowler in Pink Elephants off of eBay... $30 with shipping...great deal.  Yet, I am wondering why?  As if I need it.  You know what, though, it is getting me through today.

Our fall has been really, really insane.  It seems when school started all hell's fury was unleashed on our home.  We've gone from summer's peace and serenity to a perfectly fine car that we couldn't get to pass inspection due to some emissions crap, then was an electrical short in our kitchen, next a persistent bee's nest in our second floor soffet.  Finally, at least we hope, there was la piece de resistance, a 41,000 gallon water leak that culminated in digging up our entire side lawn.  Amazingly, I stayed fairly sane through most of that, and tried to be supportive of Tim who really dealt with the brunt of it, but it seems my time for the stress has finally come.

Today started with an overwhelming morning at work, learning about not one but TWO very good and useful, but very cumbersome data/statistical/testing oriented computer programs.  The information, interesting, the problem, when am I going to use them, and where is the TIME?  Time, always the issue, for everyone, yet I had to endure yet another discussion where my principal went on and on about supporting our "new mothers" at work.  I mean, I get that like a BAZILLION people had babies at our tiny school last year, but where is the love for the old mom, eh?  How about the people caring for aging parents?  How about people struggling in whatever way they are struggling at the time in their life they are at; sickness, marital trouble, personal difficulties we might not even be able to begin to imagine.  If we're to support one, shouldn't we support all?  Then came a rushed visit to my classroom to check in with my student teacher and be sure she, and my sub, would be OK for the day - can't just leave a teaching job, you know?  Someone has to actually DO YOUR JOB in your absence.  All was well, so it was off to grab Devin and hurry to Oswego for some lunch and the dentist.  Little did I know, my next test awaited me.  

We got in the car and Devin unloaded, as he so often does in the car...free to question, comment and confess while we both stare ahead, safe to reveal without the emotional hurdle of eye contact.  He let me know that I was sure to kill him as he screwed up his morning work, again, got a 45% on a math homework, (who GRADES homework anyways?  aargh!), got a 1 on the riveting fire safety essay I am sure he was so excited to write, and got moved to the front of the classroom.  This admission turned into an all out parenting session where we discussed every and all things that were bothering him, and came to some solutions I think, as we lunched.  Feeling better, I went to my purse to grab the appt. card for the dentist and double check our 1:40 time, only to find that the appointment certainly is scheduled for 1:40 - but it is 1:40 NEXT THURSDAY!

Yeah, that was my day.  How, you might say, does this connect to pink elephants though?  Well, isn't being overwhelmed the order of the day these days, all around?  Is stress the big pink elephant in the room that is always there and rarely addressed?  Oh, we give it lip service alright,  but then we carry right on, plugging away at our jobs, returning home to our rarely restful evenings, parenting our overly pressured children.  Some kids weather today's pressures just fine, some don't, and we don't get to choose the kids we get.  Some adults handle their stress just fine, some don't, and we have to do the best with who we ARE.  Hopefully we get a little support along the way, but we might not.  We may just be out there on our own sometimes, and to that end we have to muddle through.  We have to find our ways to get through our days, and I will admit, that today, that email saying I WON a pink elephant Vera made my day a little bit better.  At least Vera is out there and on my side, by my side even, and over my shoulder, getting me through the stress of my days.  I guess I need to say, thanks, again, Vera.

-Cheryl

"Strange Kind of Love" by Love and Money

GO BUY THIS ALBUM ON iTUNES. Yeah, I just did, and you all know I have a PROBLEM, but I HAD to have this. This is MY album. It was purchased in the Fall of my senior year of highschool, while on a short shopping trip with our foreign exchange student Tarja. She implored that I must buy it as it looked interesting and I just needed to try it out. It was bya group called LOVE and MONEY after all, and what else was anyone in the 80's looking for? She was really good at talking me into anything, pushing me to do anything, pushing me off a cliff, but that is another story. Anyways, I purchased the TAPE and it lived in my 1980 powder blue VW Rabbit for the next several years. It was surely the soundtrack of that car, along with Stevie Nicks "The Other Side of the Mirror", an obscure non Lindsey Buckingham Fleetwood Mac album called "Behind the Mask", and two or three mixed tapes, literally labeled Car Tape, 1-4. It is a great album, and certainly worth some more detailed commentary, but here is why I mention it TODAY. I finally found it on iTunes! I have looked for it for years in CD form, and haven't found it. It is available on amazon, but only from other sellers. I mean, I had it on tape, so I wasn't desperate, but still. I am so excited to have this piece of ME in mp3...hey, that's kinda catchy.
Must go listen and drift back.
-Cheryl

...so I guess I will have to rename my alter ego. "The Friday Night Alcoholic" perhaps would be better named "The Saturday Morning Caffeine Craver," or perhaps even "The Saturday Afternoon Iced Coffee Consumer," as here it is 1:36 pm and I am finally getting to write. I blame school starting and frustratingly getting in my way of my living my LIFE. Jobs, aargh, can't live with 'em, can't quit 'em, need the paycheck to support Vera Bradley habits, etc. etc. etc. Anyways, last night was the first Friday night of the first full week of school and what started as an excitable evening where I had all kinds of plans for what I wanted to do with "my time" turned into me, in a sleeping bag, on the couch. I didn't even make it to the end of "What Not to Wear." First it was pizza for dinner and a beer, then it was relaxing and playing with the pup and the kids, then it was bedtime routines. When 9:00 rolled around, I cozied up on the couch with a second Dundee Wheat beer, and my buds, Stacy and Clinton. For whatever reason, I got chilly...probably the body shutting down, putting its own sad party pooping plans into place. Tim bought a mummy style sleeping bag this week, for an up coming Cub Scout camping adventure, and it was out on the computer room couch. I grabbed it, climbed in, zipped up and checked out. There was no way around it, the minute I was in I was down for the count. It is sad, really, how much of our leisure time we really have no control over. The past week and a half have been consumed with work getting started again, but our evenings have been usurped as well. Extracurriculars have begun, for the kids and for the adults, and any "issues" in life, which in the last week and a half have included a gas tank issue standing in the way of a car inspection, a persistant bee's nest, and a rather expensive water leak, fortunately OUTSIDE the house, have to be delt with somewhere between 4pm and total collapse. I have been reading Loving Frank, as Sue did earlier this summer, and it is easy reading, but mentally very hard, thought provoking. It is all about the affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney, and it brings up so many questions about choices, committment, creativity and needs. I want to sit and consume the book and be able to think, but again, the past week and a half, reading has sent me off to dreamland even quicker than said sleeping bag. I know things will slow down, or at least become the norm. Our bodies will adjust to more activity, more stress, more work and less sleep, but I want that adjustment to be done NOW. I want to be happy to reach the weekend for reasons of fun, not just reasons of replenishment. It'll come, I know, it always does, but I need to have patience, I need to read Frank, and most of all, I think I need some more iced coffee...
-Cheryl

...and am feeling a return of "The Friday Night Alcoholic" tonight having completed our first full week of school, thankfully.  These daily reasons to drink inspire me.  More to come, post consumption of my Dundee Wheat Beer.  After all, with their tagline being "Be Unclear," what more could you ask for in Friday Night Pontification, or in a Friday night beer?

...I'm feelin' a blog comin' on!

Yep, that was the quote of the evening as I nearly drove off the road in rage.  

We headed to a movie today, and you know, it is not enough that when I go there I have to endure myriad previews, now so professionally referred to as trailers, that give away the essence of every damn movie I might want to see.  No, now I have to endure everyday advertising as well.  Today's offering was that damn JCPenney's ad, glaring down as me from the big screen now, that rips off one of my, and all children of the 80's, favorite movies, "The Breakfast Club."  There they were again, the jock, the rebel, the prom queen, or at least this generation's lame representation thereof, decked out in their JCP Back to School frocks.  "Nothing new, just new people doing it" a la Grandpa Colby came to mind.  He was, apparently, a wise, wise man.  Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me," remade by some millennial emo band hummed, cloyingly, in the back of my mind the rest of the afternoon.

Fast forward a few hours and we were singing along with the radio on the way home, and I flipped by a station playing a VERY familar song.  Hey a ma ma ma...Life in a Northern Town...it sounded somewhat right, but no, it was a COUNTRY VERSION!  I mean, REALLY!  I did nearly careen into a ditch with the sad realization that, apparently, my entire youth is destined to be ripped from me and remade so a new group of people can claim it as their own.  I ranted, I raved, I threatened to drive my entire family into a lake, which was, quite literally, a mere 10 miles ahead.  Then, even with the country twang evoking in me images of waving wheat as opposed to abandoned factories and lake effect, I found myself singing along.  Tim mentioned that there are, after all, northern towns in the midwest, and maybe they just want to be heard, or perhaps, in some small way, understood.  

I came home, I downloaded off iTunes, I followed along, and I felt a blog coming on...

Sigh, I am a lemming after all.

-Cheryl

(and for anyone who wants to know, it was remade by the band Sugarland, along with Little Big Town, whom I LOVE - less country, more Fleetwood Mac.  Check them OUT!)

...and so it ends

Yep, another summer vacation has come and gone.  Tonight's last hurrah of sorts, a bookgroup outing for dinner and discussion and some pity shopping with Sue.  Sigh, a quiet end to a fairly quiet summer, but it is with sorrow that I say goodbye, yet again.  Today I was looking back at old blogs, of summers past, and reading about exactly the emotions I am having right now.  It surely is time to get back to reality, to schedules and structure, to regular bedtimes and to dependable tooth brushing.  It is time for cooler temperatures, crisp fall air, color in trees, and football on Sunday, but alas, for a moment I must look back.

This summer started out the summer of Lucy, our sweet little black lab, who is still sweet, but less little.  It continued with the regular fare such as our fourth of July festivities, day trips, and fun with friends, such as American Girls Night Out with  me, Gwynn, Sue and Jilli.  There were swim lessons and lazy days in the yard.  We moved a hot water heater, installed a mammoth invisible fence, and, stupidly, ripped apart a computer room in the week before school, but hey, it's progress.  We travelled, of course, this year ONLY to Ocean City, MD, Albany, NY and Tim and myself at least, to Burlington, VT...not too shabby for a summer we weren't going to travel much - gas prices be damned.  Tim realized how old he is in the advent of his 20th HS reunion, but I realized I am just one  year behind.  Friends from college moved back to the area, and I couldn't be more thrilled.  As a final, but not to be overlooked note as well, the kids went to Lansing and stayed with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins for about 1 and a half weeks of the summer ON THEIR OWN.  What a gift, both to Tim and myself, and to the kids and family.  Even in living an hour and a half away, we have nutrtured secure bonded relationships, between the kids and us, AND between the kids and the rest of their family, and I couldn't be happier.

This was a big milestone type summer for us too...15 years married.  We so wanted to do something big this year, something special.  Maybe we'd take a cruise, go to New York City...Europe even, but you know, we didn't.  Don't get me wrong, we did special things, like our day out at Empire Brewing, and wine touring and Dano's, and a couple of days in Vermont, but Tim said it best one night when we were sitting out on the patio eating a lovely dinner while the kids were in Lansing.  For our anniversary, we got TIME...Time to enjoy ourselves, time to enjoy eachother, and in being refreshed in such a manner, time to really enjoy our family as well.  

It has been a good summer.  I am thankful, but also mindful that we're headed like lemmings to the cliff of back to school.  As we careen over the edge, may I want to stay in touch with the peace I feel right now.  May I remember that a day is only a day and I am only one person.  May I continue to count my blessings.  Finally,  may I still realize that the present is a gift, and may I keep on giving myself, and my family, that precious gift that is TIME.

-Cheryl

The Hershey Let Down

So the big family vacation has come and gone for another summer. Of course comparing anything to last year's DISNEY would have to be tough...but come on. How can you mess up CHOCOLATE?

We arrived in PA on Wednesday the 13th and things were looking up. Nice weather, gas at $3.55 a gallon and a decent motel. In some ways, the motel actually topped Disney in the breakfast department. Each morning, we went down the stairs and across the front a few steps to the lobby for quite a nice spread, all included in our stay. There was cereal, fruit, bagels, toast, donuts, and boiled eggs. But the best of all, was a waffle maker for you to make your own custom made waffle with choice of toppings. Then there was coffee, tea and juices. After breakfast hours, the lobby had a movie theater popcorn machine with all the yummy popcorn you could eat in those cute little bags even! The kids just loved this! They had a decent inground swimming pool even. Our room had a nice fridge, microwave and coffee maker. So when comparing our Disney stay and the 4 mile walk to breakfast, carrying our cups, PA really was ahead.

On Thursday we drove to Hershey Park, about 15 minutes from where we stayed in Harrisburg. First, you had to pay $10 to PARK your car. Luckily we'd bought advance tickets from a friend of Margie's who is a PA resident and gets a discount somehow. We got into the park right when they opened at 10am. There were honestly more people at the gate than when we went to the Magic Kingdom (and not on the magical extra hours either). The kids waited forever in lines, some much longer than anything we waited in Disney. The water park attraction totally bit. Freezing water, CROWDS and CROWDS of people and you couldn't sit in chairs and watch your children, you had to physically be IN the water with them. We are spoiled by the expansive layout and casual family like atmosphere of Enchanted Forest. We all agreed that the water park blew.

Then lunch. 3 sandwhiches (Jillian and I shared) and 4 beverages ran us $35. We ate dinner the night before at Applebees, and for our 4 meals, desserts and a BEER...it was only $43. We were not at all impressed. Around 5pm the sky opened up and it began to POUR. Of course Jillian had been waiting in line for a hair wrap for about 40 minutes and JUST sat in the chair when the thunder/lighting began...and then the downpour. There we were, standing under a big table umbrella. If anything it forced her to choose the hair UNDER neath which only cost us $13, rather than on TOP which would have cost a lot more ($2 an inch!).

We left the park at 6pm and never looked back. We were glad to be outta there.

After a quick meal at WENDY'S we hit the convenience store across the road to bring dessert and beer back to the room. We grabbed ice cream, but there was NO BEER! We went back to the motel, and Billy left in search of beer. After several stops he was told he could go to a BAR to buy beer. WHAT!??! Yes, they can sell you a 6 pack or a 12 pack as long as it does not exceed x number of ounces. Are you KIDDING me? Or he could go to a DISTRIBUTOR. Someone gave him directions and he was off to purchase a case of BUD LIGHT. He returned with a 24 pack of 10 ounce cans. They were just the strangest looking cans! When he questioned the employee about the chase for the beer, she said to him, Welcome to Pennsyltucky! Alrighty then! You can smoke in restaurants here, buy fireworks and use your cell phone while driving but can't purchase beer at a gas station or grocery store!??!?! HELLO!

Chocolate World Tour was the next day. Another $10 to park. I don't know what I was expecting, but this was not it. I went to Hershey as a child, with my Aunt and did the tour. I would have bet money that we toured the ACTUAL FACTORY. I have one vivid memory of it. But now I am questioning whether it is that I am remembering, or if it is the UTICA CLUB BEER BREWERY tour I am remembering! Yes, as a child I toured a brewery with my aunt! Anyway, I looked online when I got home and it said that they closed the factory to the public in 1973. I am trying to get my mother to remember what year that would have been that I went. I doubt she'll figure it out, I will have to call my aunt.

The tour of today is a DISNEY-IZED ride through a pretend factory with singing cows. WAY disappointing. We paid a ton of money to watch a 20 minute 3D show that was kind of okay. The kids paid $15 to wait in a long line to pretend to be a factory worker and package Hershey kisses and get an ID badge. We spent over $100 at the gift shop and I refused to buy any chocolate there. All of the same chocolate is much cheaper every day at Walmart, and was actually on sale this week at Price Chopper. I was a little shocked. And they didn't even have my coconut kisses there! I was really kind of hoping they'd feature some of their retired flavors, but no such luck.

I was really all too excited to get in the car on Saturday morning, after our last yummy motel breakfast, and HIT THE HIGHWAY back to NYS!

GREAT, GREAT, GREAT book...To Be Someone by Louise Voss.  It is all the life story of a former 80's pop star, told through the soundtrack of her life.  It has a realtime storyline, and in the alternating chapters you hear the "backstory" as it relates to all these songs.  I picked it up out shopping with Sue, off of a bargain table, for $4.  We thought it sounded so "me" in its premise, although I recognized only a third of the songs, being that much of the story is set in England, thus the whole europop edge.  I didn't have high hopes, but it was a bargain, and in the end it did not matter in the least.  It was a wonderful story, with great writing, great feeling, and it has set my mind adrift to contemplate my "soundtrack."  Fine use of my day, I know, but hey, what else is summer for? ( I am concurrently multitasking through my day anyways - re-reading the second Traveling Pants book, cleaning my upstairs, and packing for our Albany/Vermont trip too, so hey, cut me some slack!)

Childhood Songs 

Get Off of My Cloud - Rolling Stones

Take a Chance on Me - Abba

Witchy Woman - Eagles

Hotel California - Eagles

The Greatest American Hero theme

Star Wars soundtrack

Annie soundtrack - even when Tomorrow was being played/sung by mom on the piano

I Love Rock and Roll - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Flashdance - Irene Cara

Private Eyes - Hall and Oats

Peg - Steely Dan

Saturday Night Fever and Grease soundtracks 

(and I wonder where my love of a mix tape comes from - soundtrack queen)

JFS Middle School Year 

Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

Cum on Feel the Noise - Quiet Riot

Hello - Lionel Ritchie

DURAN DURAN!

Camp

Dust in the Wind - Kansas

Crosby Stills and Nash - Daylight Again album

new age guy Andreas Vollenweider or sthg...

Amy Grant Amy Grant Amy Grant!

Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel

Get Together - ?

Early Lansing

DURAN DURAN - STILL!

Stairway to Heaven - Led Zepplin

College

SO many to name...so many, but Steve Miller Band stands out for sure...

Early Marriage

All I Wanna Do - Sheryl Crow

You Gotta Be - Desiree

Hannibal Hell/Buying House

Long December - Counting Crows

If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow

See, I could GO ON...but life calls.  Have to take Tim and Devin down to try out their new canoe "thing."  Rock the boat, don't rock the boat baby...

-Cheryl

AND JUST A THOUGHT SO SUE WILL REMIND ME...WE NEED TO ASK JILL IF WE COULD POST HER TATTOO ON OUR BLOG!!!!

And So It Goes...

So, as promised, my first entry in the Vacation Without Dog (VWOD)Blog as now Sue is away at Hershey Park.  It'd have been so much fun to go with her and her family, but alas, on Friday we are off for the next in the slew of Howell family weddings. At least for this one, we are simply guests, and there is no stress of flower girl duty.  Post wedding, Tim and I are off to Vermont for a few days without kids.  Now what is that?  VWODK?  Sounds a little weird, but I will go with it.

The image on the left SPOKE to me today, loud and clear.  I mean, here  I am on August 13th, merely three weeks from the start of school, and I am finally picking up on this writing thing.  Every summer, I have the intentions of writing...working on some new stuff, polishing stuff I have, setting up a writing assignment I envision for our extended family (ever the teacher you know...) and possibly even submitting some work to be published, somewhere, somethow, and alas, the time has flown by.  Mind you, I have no regrets for my summer.  We have had a great time, despite somewhat crappy upstate New York weather.  We had a great trip to Maryland.  We reconnected with high school and college friends, in part due to being 20 YEARS out of HS, and in part due to college friends who have moved back to the area.  I've had plenty of "me" time, cleaning, organizing, remembering, reading, and out with friends, relaxing, dining, shopping.  My kids have had swimming lessons, weeks at their grandparent's homes, and just enough playdates.  Last, but not least, Tim has done TONS around our home. I am thrilled, and in a really good place, and truth be told, school may be three weeks away, but it is the FURTHEST thing from my mind.

So the picture spoke to me, as I said, because summer is in its last hurrah.  We have done a lot, and there is more to do, but it is bittersweet in a way.  We are certainly in the home stretch...winding down...and I am bad at this part.  In fact, I am pretty sure I could look back at older posts and see many a maudlin rant about summer's end and school's start.  Yet, as every year, this time I am going to try.  I will try to relax, I will try to embrace, and I will try to change gracefully.  We'll see...

 

SUE IS A BLOGGING MANIAC!

( and I am LAZY!)

-Cheryl

If Walmart doesn't have it....
You don't need it!

After the big disappointment last night of Target discontinuing my pineapple salsa, I didn't know how I was going to be able to live. I tried a new one, a peach mango salsa, and it came with a big WARNING on the label: MAY CONTAIN PEACH PITS! Oh terrific. So I may break a tooth.

After a trip to Wonder Walmart tonight, my testimony is once again confirmed, If Walmart Does Not Have It...You Don't Need It. There it was...Newman's Own PINEAPPLE SALSA! So there! I do NEED it afterall...because Walmart has it! I just love Walmart!

Wallets come and go...and so do Blueberries!

Why must they do it to us? We get something we really like, and then they discontinue it. Like the much discussed wallet. Today's topic is the Yankee blueberry candle. I had my first one in 1994 I believe. I can remember it burning in the living room, and the guys working on our ROOF, OUTDOORS, asking what that smell was? It was going out the windows and up! On the heels of that came blueberry muffin. I may possibly be mistaken, but I want to say that they actually overlapped. I had the muffin candle in 2001 because it was my maternity leave with Jillian candle. It burned fast because I was home for 3 months and I lit it all the time.

THEN...what were they thinking? They retired them BOTH and we were left with NOTHING. No blueberry fix at all what so ever!

Last night was like coming home again. At the very newest Yankee shop in Great Northern, there it was...the newly released, Blueberry Scone. It is absolutely amazing. I may need to hoard them along with my French Wallets.

Another day, another wallet, another Vera...

Of course nothing can just be simple. With all the panic over the damn French Wallet, and what is to come 7-10 years down the road, I decided that I better not get too comfortable with just ONE wallet. So I had been looking at Vera wallets all along. But again, I can't touch them or look at them because there is no authorized Vera retailer in the area. But even so, I always look.

Tonight I happened to see this one, for just $9.99 buy it now (actually or BEST OFFER, which I hate because you have to make the offer, email it and then wait to see if it has been accepted) with only $2 shipping. So after comparing it to the ones on the authorized website, I saw that I could buy this exact wallet from Vera herself for $15 (because it is a clearance from 2 seasons ago) and then of course shipping. So a good deal. I decided to jump on it. I now have $ in my paypal account from selling some of my crap in my closet...so that made it worth it. I figured if I get it and hate it, I can always relist!

Remembering Love's....












So here are those 2 ads I found. The one on the top I can remember. You sent in $2.75 and could get that shirt. I WANTED that shirt. But I do not believe that I ever actually got it. Now the ad on the bottom is downright WRONG. It is disturbing. There was a lot of feedback on this ad all over the sights I went to in search of ads. How this girl appears to be 10. I was thinking 7, myself. There was one more ad that I tried to download but for some reason it didn't work. It was as disturbing only for different reasons. A college aged girl dressed up to be 10. It was all very odd. So the one on the top is really the only appropriate one. The young high school aged girl advertising the product in a sweet and innocent way. But hey...maybe we are just reading into it too deep. Was there an outrage in 1976 when this ad was out? Probably not. Perhaps the advertisers really were just innocent and were using slumber parties, nail polish sessions and such as inspiration, kind of like Katy Perry? It really probably wasn't that big of a deal. Maybe it was supposed to bring BACK your innocence and all that went with it? Let's ask Katy...

Isn't it great to have a GIRL?

Yesterday, while waiting for prescriptions at Kinney, Jilli and I wandered over to look at the perfumes. There it was, Love's Baby Soft. I told her how much I used to love it. We tried the tester on, but there were none of the shelf. Because it was just a body spray version, it was pretty inexpensive, and I was in whip it in the cart mode so I was kind of bummed. Not bummed enough to get the $11 spray version, but a $4 fix would have been fine. I told her we'd look at Walmart.

Sure enough, Walmart came through. We whipped it in the cart. I was on the look out for the powder, too. I remember having the powder and loving it. I was describing it to Jillian, and how I loved the clear pink plastic bubble that covered the top. Of course, there it is on ebay. I don't know if I'd pay $10 for it with shipping, but even so I have a watch on it.

That led to other searches for images of my pre-teen perfume. I found several ads. Of course what I hate about this blogger is that I can't get the images to insert like RIGHT HERE. Not at the top, above the first picture. And if I start a new one it will publish on top of this one. **sigh**

A little Sunday morning shopping...

So it's been a while, at least a week, since I have ordered any (won any?) Vera off eBay. My most recent purchase was the matching Vera leash to go with Zoey's collar. Today I spotted this NWT Amy purse in the Peacock pattern. I knew I wanted to get Elizabeth a Vera for her 11th birthday and really like this size and style for the 5-13 ish age group. It is kind of like Katie, only with the shoulder strap. It was also available as a Buy It Now...but I had to check with Lizard (her nick name) first, to see if she was into Peacock. I threw a couple of patterns out there, including Daisy Daisy (seems young and hip) but she shot that one down, giving the thumbs up to Peacock. So I jumped on it....BIN for $20....$3.50 shipping. Nice!

Reading the Sunday Paper
7/27/08

While reading the Sunday paper today, a ritual I enjoy every week with my coffee, I had some comments on some ads and some articles. First...Avril endorsing some line of clothing for Kohl's. My question is...WTF. And please, someone explain to me the BLACK EYELINER. While looking through my son's middle school yearbook, I notice more than half the 8th grade girls following this trend. Why? It doesn't even LOOK good! If Carmindy saw this she would definitely have some advice. Now I am even okay with the pink highlights....I can see that as artsy, funky, self expressive. But the black rimmed eyes? ALL THE WAY AROUND? Not so much.

And speaking of BOOKS....

In today's STAR there is a write up about Danielle Steele's new book. The headline CRACKS me up. Romance author HATES appearances, but comes out occasionally. Well COME ON! Look at her! She is turning 61 and is trying to look 25. The hair has GOT to go. It is making her look 81. It says she was in NY for the TODAY show. Well, certainly she could have stopped by Nick Arrojo's studio for some help. He wouldn't be shy in telling her that her hair is not working for her. It says she publishes up to 3 books per year, I am sure she could afford the $500 price tag on a session with Nick!

Been reading Loving Frank for the past 2 days and am totally sucked in. Makes me think of a blog I posted a few months ago....can one person really meet all of your needs? Just a question to ponder while Loving Frank....

What really bugs me about this BLOG

Alright...what I cannot STAND is trying to get the font size to be what you want. It will do whatever the freak it wants. I go back and repeatedly change some to make it smaller...and still it is larger than life. But then some, it will do what I want. I just cannot stand that. I have changed the one about the Mitsubishi at least 5 times (right now that is set on the smallest) and still it is big. But then, the one about the Santa Fe is exactly how I wanted it...I can't WAIT to see how this looks! As I have the title largest and then this type at normal. Also, the one about the ebay wallet has this strange purple box that I cannot get to go away. UGH! Now I know why I do not have a job that requires computer use!

My wallet, always one step ahead of me...

After finally realizing that my French Wallet was a thing of the past, I went to JCP Wednesday and took the plunge. This is the new version of the French wallet. It got me thinking of that very first French wallet that I had in 1985. Was it called that because the French are thin? Because their lifestyle is laid back? Uncluttered? I guess that would definitely describe my life in June 1985 when I received that wallet! When I bought its replacement several years later, it was the same size, only had an extra flap, for a few extra cards. But it was only a small change. It was an easy transition. At that point my life had not changed a whole lot, other than being married and having a job.

This new and improved wallet is much larger. A full inch wider and a full inch taller, with 2 compartments for bills, and double the flaps for cards. It pretty much is keeping up with the busier life I lead now as a 40 (ish) year old working mother of 2. It actually fits better with my extra 10 lbs since my 1985 body too. When transferring over all my cards and cash (ha!)...it wasn't as difficult as I though. I am still not thrilled with how much room it takes up in my purse, however...and I can't imagine how Lola will deal with it!

But now I am nervous. In another 7-1o years when I need to replace this...what will I be forced to purchase? I saw that one wallet at JCP called, My Big Fat Wallet...will that be it? Will I only be able to buy a Big Ass Wallet and will my ass be bigger to boot?

Bonding with Jill

So you are gone...and I have no one to email with daily. Jill has stepped in. I emailed you just before you left about her asking me if I had a tattoo and where and what and when I got it and where I got it done. So I answered her back and highly recommended Tru at Ink Haven. She said that she was going to go someplace on Marshall St. in Syracuse that John felt comfortable with. So I sent her to investigate his website and told her about my whole experience. Being turned down the first time...being sent away very frustrated, only to soul search and come up with something I absolutely now LOVE.

We kind of went back and forth and she claims to have never seen my tattoo. I don't remember where we were the book club of Oct. 2006 where I would have shown it off. But I am betting that Jill was not there.

So she decided after seeing his website and hearing my testimony, that she would go to him for a consult. She wants a monarch butterfly. Something about her aunt. Anyway, she got stuck in traffic trying to get there on Tuesday only to be turned away because his consult time ran out. She was really set back. So she headed back today, getting there 15 minutes before they opened as I recommended.

She emailed me this afternoon and was successful at meeting with him. She has an appointment to be inked on August 4. She is very excited. I told her about my blog on the correlation between sex and tattoos. Then I found it, cut n pasted it and sent it to her. I told her she could wait till after her tattoo if she wanted to have her own opinion. She said she was going to wait to read it, but only could wait 3 hours before she caved and opened it.

I began to worry about sending it to her. Like, was it too personal? But she wrote back that she loved it and was printing it for John to read.

So this has been passing the time along while you have been away, too. Ebaying wallets, acclimating dogs, analyzing libraries and shopping here and there. It's all been great, but, can't wait for you to come home!!!

Field Trip to the Newly Renovated Library

Not sure if you have ever been or not, but the old library was about more than the books. It was an experience for all the senses. While Jillian has no memories of the old library, as the last time we were there, she was 3ish...Ethan does. They were excited when I mentioned going on Monday. We began our trip with a stop at Dunkin', then went over to see it.


Upon walking in, you could see that the main room was bigger. The addition is built onto the back and stretches straight out ahead of you. The circulation desk which used to be on the right, is on the left. Something immediately felt out of place to me, and I realized that it was the tall wooden book shelves were missing! They have been replaced with short, white metal shelves. Ok, so what's the big dill, right? Well, the shelves also have NO BACKS. So while you are in any given row, you can see straight through ALL THE ROWS and see everyone in the entire room through the books! It totally removes the cozy, aloneness one used to feel in between the wooden shelf lined rows of the old library. The smell was also different. I was deeply saddened.


A librarian, noticing the lost look on my face, directed us to the elevator where the BOOKS are now kept. The downstairs is all reference, magazines, computers, videos, dvds, and a young adult section. My hope was renewed as we went to the 2nd floor. Maybe that library FEEL is up there!

Not so fast. Same white, metal shelves. Whose idea was THAT? It is wrong. Half the idea of the library was feeling alone when tucked between those nice tall wooden shelves! We wandered around a bit, the kids being overwhelmed with a lack of understanding where anything was, and the fact that 100 toddlers and kids in strollers were there for some kind of story hour! I recognized a girl from Js church school class and I asked her how to use the computers (I noticed that she was quite good at looking up books). She showed me how to use the digits on my card and what the pin number was to gain access. Of course mine did not work. My card was a dinosaur card that needed to be updated. So back downstairs we headed.


Or so we thought. We stood waiting for the elevator for what seemed 10 minutes. In the mean time, a woman we were waiting with noticed my tattoo and commented on it. She asked if it was a cave art horse. I told her that it was and that I teach art. Well, guess what? SO DID SHE! We got to chatting and I thought she looked familiar...ends up I used to sub for her when she taught at OMS. If I had been thinking...I would have remembered that she started her career as DAVE'S art teacher...one of the ONLY people he has any memory of from elementary school. She is retired now...shared HER tattoo story with me...and then the elevator was fixed and our visit ended.


What a small world!


To end this story...we all got new library cards, the kids each got out a stack of books...and I had Riversend syndrome. The Claire Cook book I wanted was out...so I checked Elizabeth Berg. My memory was working SO WELL Monday that I checkout out a book that, not only have I read before, but it is ON MY SHELF AT HOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh!

Today on eBay!







You are considering a Ladies French Wallet made by Buxton in a pretty taupe color. If you like this French Style wallet, then you know, as I do now, that they do not make them anymore. The ones they make today are wider, designed to hold many credit cards, ATM cards, grocery store cards, and whatever else we use in lieu of cash today.

So here is the story with this wallet. I received one very much like this as a gift when I graduated from high school...about 20ish years ago. I loved this wallet! It was gray, and was the first nice leather wallet I ever owned. I carried it for the next 15 years, until it literally fell apart. I replaced it with a brown one, but it just wasn't the same. For one thing, when you opened it, you had to turn it around to take out cash with your right hand. My original one was obviously designed by a right handed person. Also, the new one had extra bulk that I just wasn't used to. More flaps for credit cards. Eventually I adapted to this newer Buxton wallet, but I never forgot my first love.

It's been about 5 or so years, and I am desperately overdue to replace my Buxton French Wallet again. Mine is ripping, and the snap doesn't want to stay closed. I have looked everywhere, including online, and the French Wallet as I know and love it, does not exist anymore. So I turned to ebay, and there it was! My original BUXTON FRENCH WALLET! Only in a different color. It was listed as new in box, although admittedly older. I am estimating it is from the mid to late 1980s, as that is when I received my first one as a gift. It is still in its original box. It is everything I remember.

The problem is, sadly, I have outgrown that original Buxton from my young adulthood. Back then I only carried cash, coins, photos of my friends and my prom date. I had a library card and one store credit card. My college ID joined all that and we were happy as could be. But now, as I reevaluate my needs, I am one of those 40 year old adults who has the gas card, the ATM card, the credit cards, the Wholesale Club card, and the frequent punch card at the coffee shop. I hardly ever reach for cash, so the turning to get to it with my right hand doesn't seem as big of a deal. Photos of my friends have been pushed aside to accommodate photos of my kids, nieces and nephews. It is time to face the fact that, I need to graduate up to the bigger, bulkier wallets I have been sticking my nose up at.

I enjoyed a brief reunion with this wallet, as it arrived today, still NIB. But I have to place it back up for bid, for someone who can give it the proper home it deserves, in a downsized purse. I did bid quite a lot for it...but it was actually worth it, even if I have to take a loss. It was a nice trip down memory lane.

Shipping will be $3.95. I prefer paypal. Thanks so much!

Slowly finding her place in the family...

Heading into our 2nd week with the Zoester, she escaped being returned to Canjo. We have a daily little routine that we go through. Dave puts her on the run at 6am- ish for potty and such. When we get up (around 8ish to the pool pump kicking on) we bring her up on the deck. She enjoys this sad old lounge chair that Dave brought up from the cellar because he HATES my wicker furniture! After breakfast we put up the baby gate, close bedroom doors, hide the cat toy bag...and let her in. If we kind of stay low key and ignore her a little, she will settle down. I love how she found the cat bed! And actually kind of fits in it! Good thing Colemy hasn't seen this!

Is this it?
Could she REALLY be gone?

On Sunday Dave decided that we should let her off the run and just see what she does. We can't possibly have a dog just chained up every single minute she's out! So here goes! FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, this has to be it! The dog took off like a bat out of hell. Running like she's never ran before (well, she hasn't!). Into the woods. Dave and Jilli headed out to find her, while Ethan heads back, giving up...my dog is gone, I knew it....she'll never come back. This all went on for about 5 minutes. Dave headed back to get in the truck to drive up to the other road to see if she made it across the creek and ran there. Just then...ears a flappin', tail a waggin', tongue a hangin'....she came running back home as fast as she could. That was it....just wanted to explore...I'm home now! When I told my brother about her excursion, he said that she got away from them once. Tom and Julie went in the house and closed the door. Oh well....she's gone. 10 minutes later there was a little scratch scratch at the door...she had returned home.

Goings on with Zoey

Well, Zoey was here 1 week to the day when you left for your VWOD. She does a little bit each day. On Saturday night we loaded her into the car for a trip to the parents. My father really enjoyed her, being the beagle man himself. After that brief visit, we stopped at Bev's for ice cream and she had her first experience at the lake. It was a lot of fun trying to keep her away from all the dead fish, but she did love rolling in the rocks.

While Cheryl is Away

I decided rather than to flood Cheryl's email, while she is away on her VWOD (vacation without dog), I would post on our blog, what I might have randomly emailed her about. Since my title as BLOG PARTNER has dwindled to Guest Writer, I thought this would also give me the opportunity to catch up a little.

I will start with Friday, July 19 and work my way to today.

We fired him then, we fired him again...

On Friday, even though Cheryl was technically still in the state, the story begins. Dave and I headed to Syracuse to look at vehicles. This is never one of my favorite shopping outings. Shopping is fun because you can look, decide what to buy based on the price and what kind of coupon you have or what kind of sale is going on. There aren't any games, it is all up front. Vehicles are not like that. There are the sticker prices, the rebates, the invoice price and then the secret dealer price, and God Forbid if you have a trade in, that adds another element of surprise and mystery. I just hate it.

We had 2 vehicles we were looking at Friday. The Mitsubishi Outlander first, then the Hyundai Santa Fe. I could basically care less. Pick one, get it, drive it and move on. But for Dave it is all about the prep, the hunt and the kill. So we get there, find them, get out and look...and wait to be approached by the dreaded sales rep. Here he comes...towards us...and it all begins. He introduces himself and shakes our hands...I am already hearing blah blah blah. He tries to make personal connection, talking about kids and family...needing a vehicle to fit everyone and friends, too. Once we decide to test drive one, Mr. Sales Rep goes to get plates and keys. While he slips away, I pull out his card and look at the name. My jaw hits the ground. Could it really be? I show Dave the name and ask him if it rings a bell. This was the man we hired in 1992 to be our wedding photographer, then fired 2 months before! Slowly, the details all come flooding back.

I chose him because, as an artist, I wanted someone GOOD. He took my brother's first communion portraits and I remember being impressed with his work. We went for our engagement pictures and I put down a $100 deposit and saved our date. When I got the pictures back, although nice, I was upset by my favorite, being off center. My head was cut off a little on the left side. As the months went on and I booked florists, ordered a cake, invitations, everyone asked who the photographer was. I distinctly remember the invitation printer saying, is there any way you can get out of that? For reasons I have since chosen to block, I secured another photographer. Ok, so he was a city cop....but I felt that due to a GUT FEELING, I had to get out of this other commitment.

2 months before the wedding, he contacted me about specifics (place, time...) and I told him that we decided to forfeit our deposit and go with someone else. Yeah. Kind of awkward.

So here he comes back with the plates...and we hop in for a test drive. I wonder now why he didn't really bite on the opportunity to share with us his OSWEGO connection when we told him where we were from and for that reason we would not buy a WHITE vehicle due to driving in white out conditions? So I come out and ask...So...didn't you used to be a photographer in Oswego? He said yes, but the tone was strange. I told him that he actually took our engagement picture 16 years ago. He asked my maiden name. I told him and he echoed back the mispronounced version of my name. He asked how to spell it (he was writing it down) It occurred to me at that moment...my Uncle was in the wedding business (flowers) along side him for YEARS (they alllll know each other) and yet he chose not to ask....if we were related. The whole thing was ever so strange. He mentioned that he probably still had our negatives. If he honestly did not remember anything about me firing him at THAT moment, on THAT test drive, I am certain that he went home and looked up our negatives and had some kind of record that we let him go.

After test driving the Outlander it didn't impress us, nor did the sales rep. So we fired him, yet again...and off to Hyundai we went for a completely opposite experience.

Do you still believe in Santa honey?

So at this point, we move on to the Santa Fe. The Hyundai dealership was WAY laid back. Our rep wasn't even legal to hold a driver's license yet. Dave knew more about the vehicle than he did. He was dressed like a high school kid doing his own laundry. On the test drive, however, we did decide that we really liked the Santa Fe. The one they had on the showroom floor of course was gorgeous. Leather interior, sun roof, power everything and gadgets we would never use in our lifetime, but Ethan would probably know how to operate.

While checking out the back end, we were impressed with the removable liner that covers the rug. It was so dog friendly. We made a private little joke about the DOG and of course the little boy picked up on it and asked what kind of dog we have. I embarrassingly admitted that we have a Beagle. Well...I guess the boy should have been working as a vet assistant, or as a breeder or trainer, because this is where all his knowledge was! He is was a total beagle lover. He told us all about his love of them and how he was working for the Save the Hound Foundation to save hounds rescued after Katrina....oh my. He went ON and ON about how beagles are just the BEST dog.

It was kind of funny...how the vehicle we hated had such negative aura tied to the rep, and here this vehicle we love came with this enthusiastic pep rally about the dog we are still so unsure of. I am sure Zoey set this all up...to help us get the vehicle that will work to her best interest in staying!

But of course they were closing at 6pm, and it was now 5:58 and the deal process was going no where. We decided to walk away...and continue the hunt.